Many sellers believe spring is the best time to put their homes on the market because buyer demand traditionally increases at that time of year. What they don’t realize is if every homeowner believes the same thing, then that’s when they’ll have the most competition.

So, what’s the #1 reason to list your house in the winter? Less competition.

Housing supply traditionally shrinks at this time of year, so the choices buyers have will be limited. The chart below was created using the months supply of listings from the National Association of Realtors.As you can see, the ‘sweet spot’ to list your house for the most exposure naturally occurs in the late fall and winter months (November – January).

Temperatures aren’t the only thing that heats up in the spring – so do listings!In 2018, listings increased from December to May. Don’t wait for these listings and the competition that comes with them to come to the market before you decide to list your house.

Added Bonus: Serious Buyers Are Out in the Winter

At this time of year, purchasers who are serious about buying a home will be in the marketplace. You and your family will not be bothered and inconvenienced by mere ‘lookers.’ The lookers are at the mall or online doing their holiday shopping.

Bottom Line

If you’ve been debating whether or not to sell your house and are curious about market conditions in your area, talk with a local real estate professional who can help you decide the best time to list your house.

We at The KCM Crew believe every family should feel confident when buying & selling a home. KCM helps real estate professionals reach these families & enables the agent to simply & effectively explain a complex housing market. Take a 14-Day Free Trial of our monthly membership to see how we can help you!

Inventory is much lower in the winter typically but so are the values. They historically dip in the winter months. The time to buy would be the winter if there is a home that meets your needs.I think the sweet spot in our area is Feb. Purchase in Feb and move when weather is nicer and you miss the spring spike. Selling in the winter has generally showed much lower sales prices and much longer marketing times… it depends on the seller’s motivations on why they want to list in the winter..